TUI to offer staff 'total flexibility'

As coronavirus restrictions continue to ease, travel company TUI has shared it will be offering “total flexibility” going forward, after 16 months of home working.

In a release shared by the company, TUI stated it is “redefining its working culture by moving to permanent flexible working”.

This comes after the business carried out colleague research to understand the views of the workforce regards ways of working. TUI discovered that many employees have adjusted their working practices and now enjoy more benefits, such as a better work/life balance, which staff stated they would like to continue with once the pandemic is over.

The travel firm has now revealed that staff will only be required to come into the office once a month to attend face to face team meetings or collaboration events.

Offices will remain open; however, this will offer employees great autonomy over what working environment works for them.

Commenting on the move to total flexibility, Belinda Vazquez, workspace director of TUI UK & I, whose role has been created specifically to lead the transition to a permanent flexible working approach, said: “At TUI we embrace the concept that work is something we do, not somewhere we go.

“We have listened to our employees in order to define a clear framework that ensures ultimate flexibility, whilst creating positive experiences that enable all colleagues to feel like they belong and are valued.”

The business also shared that this new policy will help to attract future employees from a wider employment market in the future.

Andrew Flintham, managing director (MD) of TUI UK & I, added: “The pandemic has allowed us as an organisation to take a step back and make necessary changes to the way we work, communicate and collaborate. We believe that this move to a permanent flexible way of working will enhance our culture and organisational productivity, as well as allowing our people to have a great work life balance.”